Tunnels
by Duzell-Reincarnated
Summary: Tracking down her murderer is the only thing on Rebecca's mind when she comes back to life, even if it's all over the country. With the team in tow, she heads to a Colorado silver mine where things get...interesting.
1. Awakening

Diego "Doc" Soto looked up from his partner and good friend, Rebecca Madsen's, bed to see her uncle Ray Archer enter the room. Doc got up so the older man could have his seat, but Ray waved him off, standing next to the other side of the bed. He looked down at his niece, almost not being able to stand the sight of his little girl hooked up to tubes, her eyes closed like she was sleeping but he knew it was a coma.

"I can't believe we almost lost her," Ray whispered, stroking her face. Doc nodded and looked down. All of a sudden, Ray's sadness was replaced by anger — red-hot fury. His damn _brother_ had done this — to his own _granddaughter_. What kind of villain did that? Especially one who claimed to put his family above everything else, one who _had_ put his family above everything else...at least until he shot his wife.

Ray remembered it. He remembered Tommy coming over to his house, frantic, blood on his clothes and face. He had wept out his story, said that he had left Van at the house, with his mother's corpse. His brother had begged him to call the police — _"I can't do it myself, Ray please, just do it, I deserve it"_ — and Ray had. It had been a rather short case; Tommy pleaded guilty after all. The sentence, though, Ray thought, had been too harsh — life in Alcatraz. And that was when Ray Madsen decided to change his name to Archer, so he could be there for his brother, even if his brother didn't want him there.

Now, though, all Ray Archer could feel for his brother and former best friend was hatred. _He_ had been Van's father, not Tommy; _he_ was Rebecca's grandfather, not Tommy. He had told Tommy if he ever saw him again, he would kill him. Now he was considering seeking the bastard out instead. It couldn't be too hard; Ray knew his brother better than anyone. Or, at least, he had. Because the brother Ray knew would never kill his wife or stab his granddaughter or shoot another inmate or kidnap a woman or drive another man to his death. Maybe it _would_ be hard, because Ray didn't know who Tommy was anymore.

"Yeah," Doc said. "I'm sure glad we didn't." Just then his cell phone rang. Doc contemplated ignoring it, but Ray nodded to him, so Doc went outside to answer because it would feel too disrespectful to take a call in Rebecca's room. "Dr. Diego Soto here," he said when he picked it up.

_"Soto, how is she?"_ Hauser's gruff voice asked. Doc blinked for a moment; he was slightly surprised at Hauser's concern.

"No different. Stable, but still comatose," he answered. There was a pause on the other end, and Doc could imagine Hauser nodding to himself, storing away the information.

_"If there's no change, come back to the base. We have some new info you need to know." Of course,_ Doc thought. _There has to be a reason for this call. He couldn't just see how she's doing._ Doc wanted to be mad — he was slightly — but he knew Hauser wouldn't change. It didn't matter anyway, because Rebecca was just lying there and sometimes he couldn't stand it but he knew if he didn't come visit her everyday it would kill him.

"Alri-" he started to say to Hauser, but then he heard a shout from Rebecca's room and he looked to see Ray calling for a nurse, a doctor, somebody. A couple nurses and a doctor rushed by and Doc stared, not believing as Ray was moved out of the room so they could work.

_"Soto! What's going on? What's happening?"_ Hasuer demanded.

"I-it's Rebecca," Doc stammered. "She...she's awake! She's waking up! Hauser, Rebecca's alright!"

_"Stay there,"_ Hauser ordered, like Doc was actually going to leave. _"We'll be there soon."_

...  
Hospital, Rebecca's room...

"...becca. Wake up...hear me? Rebecca...I'm doctor..." Doctor. Doc? Was it Doc? No, it was a different voice. Well, she wanted Doc, not this strange doctor. Or Ray. Where was her uncle? What had happened? Her head hurt. Her side hurt. Wait. Her side. She had been stabbed. Stabbed? By whom? A number...2002. She'd been stabbed by a year? No...maybe it meant she'd been stabbed 10 years ago. That still didn't make sense. 2002...Madsen. That was her name. So why did she see a blond, blue-eyed man when she thought the name? Who was he? Tommy. That was his name. Tommy Madsen. 2002. Rebecca Madsen. What? Tommy Madsen = 2002. 2002 stabbed her, Rebecca Madsen. Tommy Madsen stabbed Rebecca Madsen. They shared a name. Why? Oh, right, he was her grandfather. What?

Slowly, painfully, it came back to her. She had been chasing her grandfather and hit his car. It had flipped and burst into flames. She had pulled him out and was in the process of arresting him when he stabbed her. But now she knew that Peters had been spying on her. But why should she believe anything Tommy said? He was a crimminal — he had _stabbed_ her, for Pete's sake. Left her for dead. But when Tommy killed Peters, it had looked...personal. Like it was a mission.

She was so confused.

She opened her eyes and saw faces above her — doctor masks and people in scrubs. Doctors. Nurses. She was in the hospital, because she'd been stabbed. Right. One of the doctors spoke,

"Can you hear me?" Rebecca nodded. "Can you speak? What's your name?"

"I'm...I'm Detective Rebecca Madsen, San Francisco police," she answered. Her throat felt dry, and her voice was hoarse, but the doctors looked relieved.

"Can I-can I see my uncle? And Doc?" she asked. Surely they would be there, right? They wouldn't have left her alone, right?

"Not yet," the same doctor said. She frowned, but made no protest as they moved about, checking her vital signs and watching their monitors and doing other things that needed to be done. She just hoped she would be able to see her friends soon.

...  
Hospital, Waiting Room...

"What's happening?" Doc and Ray looked up to see Lucy and Hauser hurrying towards them. Doc answered Lucy,

"She woke up but they won't let us see her yet. They need to check things out." They nodded and sat down. Doc, figuring they would be waiting for a while, whispered to Hauser,

"What was the new information?" Hauser looked around carefully to make sure no one could overhear, then leaned in and whispered,

"One of the 63s from San Francisco" (for Doc had been told about what was behind the door and the mad scientist) "is on the move — he's going to Colorado."

"Colorado?" Doc repeated, stupefied. He couldn't remember coming across any connection between the inmates and Colorado. Well, maybe a few had been from there, but...

"What's the name? Any crimes that fit a certain inmate's MO?" he asked. Maybe having the name could help him find the link.

Lucy answered: "Tommy Madsen." Doc stared at her. What? What was that son of a bitch doing?

"Excuse me." The four of them looked up to see a pretty blond nurse in her late twenties. She gestured to Rebecca's room. "You can see her now."

That's all they needed to hear.


	2. Reason

"I _died_? The bastard _killed_ me?"

Rebecca screeched. Doc winced at the volume but nodded. He hadn't thought his partner would take the news well. He was a little surprised the nurse on duty wasn't more shocked, but then again Rebecca had come in with a stab wound — there was really only so much one could assume from that.

"Yeah...I would call him a son of a bitch, but that would be insulting to Ray's mother, too," Doc replied. He looked over at the other man, who had absolutely refused to leave his niece's side since she woke up. He even slept there, a fact Rebecca found smothering, annoying, and unhealthy, but Ray was as stubborn as she was, and he wouldn't budge. Ray acknowledged Doc's attempt at a joke with a nod, not daring to smile because of the seriousness of the situation.

"Oh, when I get my hands on him..." Rebecca muttered to herself, just low enough so the other two couldn't hear her. She could imagine how they would react to _that_.

"Any other inmates pop up while I was — indisposed?" Rebecca asked Doc, wanting to get away from the topic of Inmate #2002 — _Tommy_, her mind whispered, _his name is Tommy_. Anger still burned in her chest, but she knew she couldn't do a thing about it right now so it would just have to smoulder until she was free.

"No, but...we did get the key we were looking for," Doc told her. Rebecca's eyes widened. That's right. The third key that unlocked the Warden's door. The key that had killed Harlan Simmons.

"Did you find out what's behind the door?" she breathed. Doc nodded, then looked around like he was afraid someone would overhear. The nurse, after checking a few things, had left, telling Rebecca he was just a button-push away if she needed anything.

"I didn't see it at first; I stayed with you. But Lucy described it to me. It — there was this, like, laboratory. A map of the US with blinking lights and trackers — Rebecca, they're _everywhere." _

"You mean...the inmates?"

"Yeah. Across the whole country. And..." Doc leaned in. "We found another 63."

"In the lab? Who was it?" Rebecca asked. This was getting much weirder than she ever could have imagined.

"A scientist. Your classic mad, evil scientist. Hauser has him locked up with the other inmates and he interrogates him regularly, but all he'll say is that 'things are all going according to plan.'" Doc shook his head, like he just couldn't understand this. Neither could Rebecca. Somehow the Warden must be tied in to all this, but how? What was the 'plan'? Before she could think about it further, she heard a knock on her door. Looking up, she saw Nikki. Grinning like mad, Rebecca waved her in.

"Nikki!" she cried, accepting the hug her friend gave her. Nikki smiled and then presented Rebecca with a small, cute, fluffy blue-and-white bunny holding a heart that said 'Get Well Soon.'

"I figured it was better than a card. You would have a harder time throwing this out," Nikki explained. She gave a slight smile to Ray and nodded briefly to Doc, who just kind of smiled and stuttered a little before sitting in the corner.

"Thanks so much," Rebecca said, sincerely grateful for the gift. It really was a cute little thing, and blue was her favorite color, as Niki knew.

"No problem," the ME answered. Then her grin disappeared and she got serious. Leaning in, she asked,

"Any leads on the guy who did this?" Ray's jaw clenched at the reminder, and Doc decided to pop in with,

"Actually, we do." All three looked at him. Rebecca, confused, repeated,

"We do?" Doc nodded.

"Yeah. He's — he's heading over state lines but we're in pursuit," he said, knowing full well it was imperative that Nikki stay ignorant of their 'special' occupation. The woman in question frowned.

"And you can't say anything, 'cause this is top-secret, FBI stuff?" Doc nodded reluctantly. She sighed, then turned back to her friend.

"Well," she started, "you know if you need anything, I'm here for you. The whole squad is." Rebecca smiled.

"Sisters in Blue?" she teased. Nikki grinned, glad that her friend still had some humor in her.

"You got it." Then Nikki needed to go, but both she and Rebecca felt better from the visit, and that's really all that mattered.

When she had left, Rebecca turned back to Doc. "Did you really mean that? Is...is he really going across state lines?" Doc nodded.

"Yeah. He's heading to Colorado for some reason...Ray." The older man looked up. "Do you know why? Is there anything you remember from Colorado that would have a connection to Tommy?" Ray shook his head. He just didn't know his brother anymore, loath as he was to admit it. Doc sighed, disappointed. Just then his phone started ringing. Getting the okay from Rebecca to answer it, he saw it was Hauser calling again.

_"Are you alone?"_ was the first thing Hauser said when Doc answered.

"Yeah. Well, I mean, Rebecca's awake-"

_"That's fine,"_ Hauser interrupted.

"-and Ray," Doc continued. The aforementioned people were watching him, Rebecca eagerly, and Ray warily. "What's up?"

_"We may know where in and why Madsen is heading to Colorado,"_ Hasuer said. _"I'm assuming you told Rebecca about it?"_

"Yes. How do you know? Where? Why?" Doc heard some scuffling and arguing on the other line, and then Lucy's voice came on.

_"Hello, Dr. Soto,"_ she said. "_As I was thinking about Tommy Madsen and Colorado, I remembered something the Warden said to me once, and something I read in Tommy's file. The Warden told me about a silver mine in Leadville, Colorado — it's abandoned now, though people do still go there."_

"And in Tommy's file?" Rebecca asked, yelling so Lucy could hear. Doc had his phone on speaker, anyway.

_"In Tommy's file it said he liked, and was adept at, exploring old mines. The Warden plus the file plus the connection between the Warden and Tommy Madsen leads me to conclude that is where he is heading," _Lucy explained.

The three in the hospital room where quiet. Then, Rebecca said in that stubborn voice of hers which refused any argument,

"Well, as soon as I'm out of here, that's where we're going."

At once there were objections, from Ray, from Doc, from Hauser, but Rebecca just clenched her jaw and wouldn't budge. In the end, Doc fell silent, Ray gave her a look that said 'I don't approve and don't think for a minute this is over', and Hauser said in an exasperated voice,

_"We'll see. But **only** when you're released and no sooner."_

Though Hasuer couldn't see, Rebecca had a triumphant smirk on her face. They thought she was going to sit by while they tracked down 2002? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. He was _her_ murderer, and she was going to get her justice (_coughcough_**revenge**_cough_), no matter how far she had to go to get it.

* * *

**A.N-So how was this one? Sorry for the bit of a wait. I want to know what you guys think of this, and feel free to point out any mistakes. Also, any suggestions for further chapters is also appreciated.**


	3. Journey's Start

"I know what you're going to say," Rebecca said before her uncle even sat down. Ray frowned for a moment, and then pulled out a chair.

"Is that so?" he replied dryly. "Has your recent brush with death given you mind-reading powers?"

"No." Rebecca resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "But I know you, Ray, and you're going to tell me not to go to Colorado, because it's too dangerous, I'm not well enough, it's not worth it...ect., ect." she waved a hand to emphasize her point.

"Exactly," Ray said. "You know the reasons, and yet you're still going. Why?" But Ray knew the answer before his niece whispered,

"Because I have to find him, Ray."

"No, you _don't_. Dammit, Rebecca!" Ray stood up and slammed a hand down on the table. It was a good thing, Rebecca thought wryly, that they were the only ones there, the bar being closed for the night.

"I almost lost you to him once," Ray said softly, sounding hoarse. At that, Rebeca felt a pang. She realized that her NDE had been hard on her uncle, but the raw emotion in his voice was startling. "I don't want to go through that again, Becky."

"You won't," Rebecca promised. "I'll be fine; if it makes you feel better, Hauser's going to make extra sure I don't over-do it."

"Not really, since he's the one who got you into this mess in the first place," Ray grumbled. Rebecca sighed and placed a hand on the man's arm.

"I'll be fine," she repeated. "I'm a detective, a cop. It's what I do." Now it was Ray's turn to sigh.

"You don't know how often I wish it wasn't." Rebecca stood up and stretched. She had made up her mind in the hospital, and both she and Ray knew he wouldn't be able to change it. She gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek and said softly,

"Thanks for worrying about me, Uncle Ray. Really, I appreciate it. But I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Ray gripped her hand in his. His eyes roamed her face. "I know," he whispered. "I know."

...

"Absolutely not," Hauser answered adamantly. Lucy didn't seem intimidated at all; she merely raised an eyebrow.

"I am not a child to be coddled and protected from the world, Emerson," she said. "And since when did you dictate where I go?"

"Since I became your boss," Hauser said gruffly. He turned away from her, staring at one of the computer screens. They had had this conversation a hundred if not a thousand times. Preparations for the trip to Colorado were pretty much complete — except Lucy wanted to come along (she didn't know how his heart had nearly stopped when she asked that, his mind imagining all the horrible possibilities of her decision).

Hauser had tried saying she wouldn't be equipped enough to deal with the rough terrain of a mine like he and Madsen would. But then she had pointed out that Soto, who was also not equipped, was going — something he didn't like either, because it wasn't like they needed any more information on Madsen - Tommy Madsen, that is. But Rebecca had argued that since Soto was part of the task force, a vital part of the team, that he should go, an agrument Lucy had taken up for her own cause.

"Emerson." Lucy stepped closer. He didn't respond, but turned to look at her. She enunciatd her words very clearly:

"I am not going to Paraquay. The only plane, or whatever mode of transportation you're using, I'm getting in is to Colorado."

Hauser stared. "It's not safe," he whispered, hating how weak he sounded. He needed to be strong, strong enough to protect her — _if she'd only **let** him._

Lucy shook her head and gave a small smile. "Oh, Emerson. Didn't anyone ever tell you?" She leaned in. "Life isn't safe."

And then she walked away. Hauser shook his head, still not believing it. Why did she have to be so stubborn? But...but that's why he loved her, her sense of justice and her willingness to do what had to be done. Knowing it wasn't, nor would it be, a good idea, Hauser found himself calling out to her, "Fine. You can come. Flight leaves tomorrow at five."

She didn't even turn around.

...

"Are we ready?" Hauser asked. He looked at his team, and mentally sighed. Rebecca, who, in his opinion wasn't quite recovered from her stab wound; Soto, who just wasn't physically or mentally equipped for such an undertaking; and Lucy, who he knew was strong but wanted as far away from the danger as possible.

"Yeah," Rebecca answerd, shifting a bag on her shoulder. Every other luggage bag was packed but she had insisted on keeping that one. The detective looked around briefly and said, "Where's our pilot?"

"You're looking at him," Hauser responded gruffly. He didn't quite know what to make of the shock in Rebecca and Soto's faces: was it a compliment to his skills, or an insult of his limited abilities? He decided not to dwell on it and opened the door to their small charter plane.

"Come on," he ordered, gesturing to the door. "Let's get going." They piled into the plane and began the long journey to justice and revenge.

...

_Blood. There was blood everywhere, and oh, there was pain there, too, and concerned faces leaning over her. She saw a car peeling away, away from the scene of his crime, and she caught a flash of yellow and the gleam of a single tear trickling down a pale white cheek..._

Rebecca jerked awake with a gasp. Lucy and Doc looked at her, immediately worried. She waved away their questions and avoided Hauser's assesing stare from the cockpit.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I–I just had a bad dream. It's fine." Her team was skeptical, but left her alone to her thoughts. She looked out the window, watching as the desert flew by. How long had she been asleep? A while, it seemed.

"Are we almost there?" she asked. Hauser answered her,

"We'll be landing in about an hour." Rebecca nodded. So close. She was so close to finding him and bringing him in. She could taste the retribution (no, no, _justice_, she insisted to herself) on her tongue.

"Soon, 2002, I will clap a pair of handcuffs on your wrists and lock you up for a long, long time," she whispered to herself, trying not to obsess over what in her dream had been a memory and what had not.


End file.
